Permitted development across the town centre, Coronation Road offices into flats

Years ago, Norden councillors fought to stop micro flats on the Gresley Road site.

Now the land owner of the industrial estate at the bottom of Coronation Road wants to use the Government’s permitted development rights to circumvent the local planning system and convert the Spectrum House office building into flats.

The last planning application (for the conversion of the other office blocks on the Woodlands Business Park) was rejected by the Borough Planning Committee. Council officers have been clear to the landowner that they are required by policy to have affordable housing on the development.

This new application, however, uses the Government’s permitted development rights which circumvent the local planning system altogether. We now understand that they are claiming viability issues and that they cannot deliver any affordable homes.

The landowner has been told they need to sort out the drainage and highways issues – and we know that the traffic issues in Coronation Road are a major concern of residents. We share these concerns and do not want to see any more housing conversions that end up being being bought up by out-of –town, buy-to-let landlords who will make an absolute mint out of Basingstoke’s local housing crisis.

A lot of residents have already objected and it’s not too late to have your say on the Basingstoke & Deane planning application page here (we are told a decision will be made by 9th November 2018).

Photo shows Carolyn Wooldridge, Labour candidate for Norden standing outside the Spectrum House development in Coronation Road.
Photo shows Carolyn Wooldridge, Labour candidate for Norden standing outside the Spectrum House development in Coronation Road.

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